Thaw Her Frozen Heart 2
by AvatarxFrozen
Summary: Now that they are married, Bumi and Elsa must face their next obstacle and embrace the good and bad times that comes with it: parenthood. Elsa confronts new and old fears and again faces the past as she embraces a new kind of love and steps into her new role, and Bumi learns he may have a significant role to play in his father's legacy after all. Rated T just to be safe.
1. Chapter 1

**Well, we finally made it. Sorry for such a long wait. I've had some problems come up that have gotten in the way of my writing, but I don't want to leave my stuff just sitting, so I'm going to move ahead. I'm not going to promise a lot, just that I'll update when I can. I've got some chapters ready to go, and hopefully the rest will come. I'm also going to publish a side collection of one-shots, if you want to keep an eye out for that. Just pure family love, ridiculously sweet fluff and some angst. Anyway, if you guys have any feedback, I'd really appreciate it. It helps keep me motivated. :)**

Bumi was pacing the halls outside their room muttering to himself when Anna showed up. "You okay?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah. I'm great."

She tilted her head. "Really?"

He sighed. "I don't know. I don't know about any of this." He chuckled dryly and shook his head. "When I woke up this morning, I was not expecting to receive news that I'm gonna be a dad."

Anna went to stand beside him. "Aren't you excited at all?"

A real smile. "Of course I am. I just...I don't know. I wasn't expecting it."

"You're the one who put her in this position."

"I know! And I'm happy, I really am! I'm just worried about her."

She nodded. "Right. Elsa."

"We talked about it a little bit before this, and she never really seemed...comfortable with the idea. Like she knew it had to happen, but she wasn't thrilled. At one point she hinted that she might want a baby, but I dunno."

"Yeah, that's what I got from it. But I think she'll come around."

"You think so?"

"I do. Right after the Thaw, she was terrified of being around kids. She was so worried that she would hurt them, because of what happened to me. Eventually she got used to it, and you've seen how she is with them. They absolutely adore her."

He nodded. "Yeah. We both know she'll be a great mother. If only we could get her to see that."

**xxx**

Elsa heard a soft knock on the door and knew it was Anna. "Come in."

Anna slipped in and went to sit beside her on the bed, putting a hand on her shoulder. "How are you?"

"I don't know," she whispered. She looked up at her helplessly. She didn't have to say anything, Anna just knew. She sat beside her and rubbed her shoulder. She watched Elsa's hand hesitate before it settled on her stomach and she gripped the fabric, frost crawling across. She gently pried her hand away and rested her hand in its place. For a moment, Anna focused on that, the little tiny human that was right under her fingertips. Tiny, but alive. Her little niece or nephew. It was enough to almost bring tears to her eyes.

Elsa watched her sister, how she focused so intently on her hand. Her hand was warm, even through the dress. Part of her flinched when she did it, she felt really self-conscious right now, but she left it, let her sister have her moment.

'_She's more excited about this baby than I am_.' Guilty tears filled her eyes and leaked out. Only when her breath hitched did Anna look at her.

"Oh, Elsa." She laid down and hugged her. "It's okay."

Elsa just shook her head. "I can't, I...I'm not fit to raise a child."

"Yes, you are. You handled me, and that says a lot."

"I nearly killed you!"

Anna cringed; not the best example. "But we were kids! And you have much more control now."

"No, my control's getting worse."

"Not really. And even if it is, it's just because you're nervous. You'll get used to the idea and you'll settle down. And love will help control it."

More guilt washed over her, but she still couldn't bring herself to confess the truth. Instead she just nodded and prayed that Anna was right.

**xxx**

Bumi was startled awake when Elsa sprung from the bed and took off to the bathroom. He sighed and ran his hand over his face. Morning sickness. This had been going on for some time. He was tempted to get up and follow her, but he knew that she would just send him back. Instead, he sought Gerda and had her fetch her some tea to help with the nausea. She patted his arm reassuringly. "It will pass, Your Highness. Queen Idun was the same way."

"How long?"

"A few months, then it will ease a bit. Just be patient." With that, she went down to the kitchen. He ruffled his hair and went back to their room. He was exhausted and knew he had to leave in two days (he was trying to negotiate with his superiors so that he could stay in Arendelle when it came close to the baby being born), but it didn't feel right for him to sleep while she stayed up trying to fight off the morning sickness.

When she came back in, he noted she looked absolutely exhausted, and was even more pale than usual. She gingerly sat on the bed.

"I had Gerda make you some tea, she should be up in a moment."

Elsa merely nodded in response, drawing her knees to her chest and resting her forehead on them.

"Are you alright?"

She shot him a glare. "I'm feeling absolutely fantastic." Sarcasm dripped from her voice.

Bumi grimaced. "Right. Stupid question. Sorry."

Her shoulders slumped as she sighed, spreading her legs back out. "No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't snap at you. Thank you for helping me."

"It's alright." He timidly reached out and brushed her arm with the back of his hand. When she didn't pull away, he scooted closer so they were shoulder to shoulder, but didn't put his arm around her. If she wanted to cuddle, she'd let him know. She leaned her head against his shoulder.

"Why is this so hard?" she whispered. He knew she wasn't just talking about the morning sickness.

"I don't know, dove," he murmured back, turning his head to kiss her temple. "I'd take it for you if I could."

That earned a small smile. She nuzzled his shoulder. The door then opened and Gerda walked in. She approached Elsa and handed her the cup. "Here you go, dear. This should fight off the nausea and help you sleep."

"Thank you, Gerda," she murmured softly, carefully taking the cup from her. "I don't know what we'd do without you."

Gerda smiled warmly and fondly caressed her cheek. "Sleep well. I'll check on you later." She gave Bumi a smile as she left, carefully closing the door behind her.

It didn't take long for the tea to work its magic. Elsa laid back down next to him and began to doze off. He smiled when she shuffled closer and gripped his arm. "I wish you didn't have to go tomorrow," she slurred. He gently brushed her bangs out of her face.

"I know. I wish I didn't, either. But I have to if I'm going to take time off when the baby comes." His hand rested over hers when she brought it up to rest on his chest, over his heart. That was a new thing she had begun to do.

She merely nodded sleepily, too drowsy to respond. He briefly brought her hand to his lips so he could kiss it.

"Goodnight, Elsa."

**xxx**

The next evening, when they were all in the library, the ever-innocent Olaf, who they had not yet told about the baby, brought about the question. He was at Elsa's side on the couch, while Anna and Kristoff were across from them on the other. As usual, he wasted no time getting to the point. "Elsa?"

Elsa, who was about asleep on Bumi, forced herself to be more awake. "Hmm?"

"Are you pregnant?"

The room grew dead silent as four heads snapped to him. Elsa was suddenly very much awake. She sat up slowly. "Y-yes, I am."

"Oh." A pause. "What does that mean?"

Noticing her growing discomfort, Bumi stepped in. "It means she's having a baby."

Olaf gasped happily, lifting his head off his shoulders. He knew what a baby was, and he loved babies. "A baby?! Wow! Where is it?"

"It's not here yet, Olaf," Anna said, getting up and walking over to kneel in front of him. "It won't be here for some time."

"Oh." He pouted for a moment, but then immediately perked back up. "When will it be here?"

"This winter, around Elsa's birthday, actually," Bumi said, squeezing her hand.

"Oh, that's so exciting!" Another pause. "Okay, two questions."

"Okay?"

"One, where did it come from, and two, how is it getting here?"

All four of them groaned.

**xxx**

"So, Elsa, when do you plan on telling everyone about the baby?"

Elsa's gaze immediately went down to her stomach. She was starting to show, but she had managed to cover it so far. It would only be a matter of time before she wouldn't be able to hide it anymore. "Soon. I'm not going to be able to hide it much longer." She hesitantly placed a hand over the small bump. "I just wanted to be more certain that I'd be able to carry it before I say anything."

Anna nodded. "I get it. I was just wondering. But look at it this way, everyone will leave you alone once they find out."

She fought back a snort. They had been harassing her for some time, and thanks to her mood swings, it was now Anna and Bumi that had to step in to prevent her from losing her temper.

When she was finished eating (thankfully the morning sickness had eased off a bit), she stood. "I have to go, I have a meeting."

And like she predicted, Bumi stood. "Are you sure?"

She smiled reassuringly. "Yes. I feel better now, I'll be fine."

"Really? You don't feel too tired?"

"Or sick to your stomach?" Anna added.

She rolled her eyes. "Yes, I'm fine! I'm not helpless, I'm pregnant." She ignored the wide smiles the two shared at the reminder. "And I wish you two would quit teaming up against me."

"We're just worried about you," Anna said softly while Bumi nodded in agreement.

"I know." Her voice softened and she smiled. "And I appreciate that, but I'll be fine."

"Will you stop if it gets difficult?" Bumi asked, raising a brow (already he had picked up some of her habits).

"Sure."

"I'll send Anna and Gerda in if you don't."

"Bumi!"

He merely shrugged in response. She shook her head and turned to leave, but added quietly, "Yes, I'll stop if it gets to be too much."

Elsa tried to focus on her work, but it was difficult. Not because she felt too sick (though she was rather tired), but she was distracted. She wasn't experiencing the crippling fear that came and went, the panic over whether or not the child would inherit her magic, or if she'd hurt it. But now, she was pondering and trying to process. She was in her second trimester now, but she was still struggling to come to terms with the reality that she would be having a baby.

Her hand unconsciously settled on her stomach. If she was being honest, it had spooked her a bit when she noticed she was starting to show. It was one of the times reality hit her, hard. And not in a good way.

But she also had moments when it didn't seem so terrible. However, she felt guilty that she didn't feel attached to the baby growing inside her, not like her husband and sister. Anna and Bumi were more excited than she was at the moment. It made her feel terrible, and she felt too embarrassed and guilty to talk about it.

With a weary sigh, she ran a hand through her hair. It was obvious she wasn't going to get anything done, so she decided to just go to bed.

**xxx**

It was a few weeks later when Bumi was gone, hopefully for the last time until the baby was born, that it happened. Despite having a full day of wedding planning with Anna, she still could not go to sleep. She lay on her side, staring outside at the moon. She bit her lip as her hand timidly crawled under her nightdress to her stomach. It was still so strange...all of it.

Her thought process was cut short when she felt it. Her hand froze and she gasped, ice leaking out of her hands where she gripped the blankets. It was small, the lightest nudge, but it was there. If she wasn't so accustomed to zoning in on any changes in her body, she might've missed it, but no. She felt it. She struggled to breathe, eyes wide, as she struggled to comprehend what just happened.

And just like that, her whole world shifted. The little thing inside her was alive. She knew that logically, of course she did, but there was the pure evidence, movement...that she could feel. Right under her hand. Tears welled up in her eyes (all hormones...totally) and she choked on a sob. She curled in on herself more and began to rub circles, almost affectionately. Her heart began to warm as she felt another nudge. '_Everything's okay...__we'll __be okay.'_

**xxx**

The next day, Anna could tell something was different. Elsa was more distracted and she noticed her hand rested on her stomach more often.

"Elsa...Elsa...ELSA!"

Her sister's head snapped up. "Huh? What?"

She rolled her eyes. "Yeesh, what's gotten into you? You've been acting weird all day. What's wrong?"

Elsa bit her lip. "Well, nothing's wrong exactly. It just..." she sucked in a breath and looked at her. "Anna...it moved. I could feel it."

"Wait, WHAT?!" Anna raced over and sat beside her. "It moved?"

"Yes. Last night, I could feel it. It was...oh!" Her hand dropped to her stomach. "There it is again."

Anna timidly reached out a hand. "Can I...?"

Elsa took her hand and placed it over her stomach. Anna closed her eyes and focused hard, and was rewarded with a small nudge. Her eyes shot open and she gasped, then looked at her sister. "Whoa...this is amazing!" She became concerned when saw tears well up in her eyes. "Elsa, what's wrong?"

Elsa collapsed into her and leaned her head on her shoulder. "I don't know. I've been so afraid...I haven't really grown attached like you and Bumi have."

Anna squeezed her gently. "It's alright. We know this has been hard for you. But how do you feel now?"

She managed a tearful laugh. "This...it changes everything. I feel like it's finally starting to click, so to speak. Maybe I'm not broken."

"Elsa, you've never been broken. Never. Hurt, yes, but never broken."

**xxx**

When Bumi got home later, he was absolutely ecstatic when he felt it, later at night when they were in bed. After he kissed her, he ducked his head down to her belly. "Hey, there, kid. We've been wondering when you'd make your presence known. You're gonna be a prince or princess, you know. It's kind of important."

Elsa rolled her eyes but affectionately placed her hand on the back of his head. "I don't think it can understand you."

"You never know." He winked at her and pushed himself back up. He stroked her cheek. "How are you feeling about all of this?"

"Better, I think. It's hard to explain."

"I get it." He kissed her forehead. "I'm proud of you, you know?"

"For what? I haven't done anything."

"You're still pushing forward, even though it's hard."

She smiled. "I have you and Anna. That's all the support I need."


	2. Chapter 2

**It took longer than I hoped to get around to publishing the next chapter, but here we are. I'm still going to push forward**.

The day of Anna's wedding had arrived. It was becoming increasingly difficult to hide her growing bump, but Elsa refused to announce anything until after the wedding. Anna insisted it was okay, but she didn't give in. "No, Anna. It's your day. I'm not taking away from that."

She had to get creative with her Maid of Honor dress and prayed that everyone was so focused on Anna they wouldn't notice her.

Naturally, Anna asked her to walk her down the aisle and had asked Kya and Rapunzel to be her bridesmaids. Sven was officially Kristoff's Best Man, but since he wasn't allowed inside the church, Bumi took on the role, even though he was a groomsman. Olaf took on the role of ring bearer, like he had for Elsa's wedding.

Anna's wedding wasn't quite as big as Elsa's since she wasn't the reigning monarch, but she was still really nervous. Elsa was forced to stay with her the whole time to keep her calm (not that she was complaining). She tried to keep her still while her hair was done. "Anna, please. Try to calm down. Everything will be fine."

"But what if it's not?! What if something goes wrong? What if-" Elsa put her hand over her mouth.

"Leave the worrying to me. Believe me, I've done enough for both of us. Everything will be fine."

Anna ducked her head, biting her lip. "Elsa?"

"Yes?"

"What if...what if he doesn't really love me? What if he's like Hans?"

Elsa frowned and moved around in front of her and placed her hands on her shoulders. "Honey, you know that's not true. Kristoff's a good man. I wouldn't have let you marry him if I thought otherwise."

"What if he tries to take me away from you?!"

Elsa wiped a tear that ran down her cheek. "I think our men know better than to try and separate us."

Anna looked at her pleadingly. "Promise you won't leave?"

"Never. Never again. Now listen to me. We're a family. You, me, Kristoff, Bumi, and Olaf and Sven-"

"And your baby."

A small smile. "Yes. And the baby. We're all in this together. And we all want the same thing for you: for you to be happy. Does this make you happy?"

Anna nodded. "Yeah."

"Then we'll all support you." She started when she felt a kick. She took Anna's hand and guided it to her stomach. "And I believe your niece or nephew agrees with me."

Anna giggled tearfully as she felt the soft nudge. "I'm being silly, aren't I?"

Elsa shook her head and wiped the remaining tears away. "No. You're taking a big step. But I'll be here every step of the way."

Anna fell into her embrace, finally feeling at peace. Nervous, of course, but at peace. The sisters were pulled out of their moment when Gerda poked her head in. "Are you girls ready?"

At her sister's smile, Anna nodded. "Yeah. We're coming."

After checking her dress and hair one more time (and Elsa adding extra bits at Anna's request), they headed towards the door. But before they went out, Anna gripped her arm. "Elsa?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you. For everything." At the sight of her sister's tears, she felt her own tears well up in her eyes. She turned and faced Anna, stroked her cheeked and pressed a lingering kiss on her forehead before taking her into her embrace.

"I am so proud of you."

And for Anna, for one moment, it felt like it was her Mama holding her again. She didn't know if it was because Elsa was going to become a mother herself, or if it was because she had somewhat played the role today and already resembled her immensely. Whatever the reason, it put a smile on her face. After a moment, Elsa pushed her back and held her by her shoulders.

"Now, let's go get you to the alter, hmm?"

Any worries she had of being noticed disappeared as she walked her beloved sister down the aisle. All she could focus on was Anna, and how she glowed. When she took her bouquet and stood behind her, she caught a glimpse of Bumi, who she thought looked pretty handsome himself. He winked at her, to which she smiled back.

After Anna and Kristoff kissed, Elsa was the first person she turned to. They were both a sobbing wreck as Elsa kissed her cheek and held her close. "I love you," she whispered.

"I love you, too," Anna responded, before she was pulled away by others. Bumi moved to her side and offered his arm. He gave her a warm smile as she took it before they followed the bride and groom out.

During the reception, Elsa was content to watch. That, and she was beginning to tire out. So while she nibbled on some food, she watched her sister dance with Kristoff, then Bumi, and so forth. Thankfully, Kristoff new better than to ask her to dance. Bumi managed to get one out of her.

She was about asleep by the time it ended. After saying goodbyes to their guests, her and Bumi stayed to talk to Anna and Kristoff.

"You guys are leaving tomorrow, right?" Bumi asked.

"Yeah." Kristoff nodded. "We're going to visit my family, then...well, I've got a cabin up there."

"I'm sure we can entertain ourselves just fine," Anna said casually, obviously not noticing the double meaning. Kristoff's face turned red while Bumi snorted and tried to cover his laugh with a cough. Elsa elbowed his ribs, though she was blushing as well. Then Anna caught the meaning. She covered her mouth with wide eyes. "Oh! I didn't mean...well, I guess I did, but-"

Elsa cut her off by pulling into a hug. "Please, Anna. I'd rather not have to think about my baby sister engaging in such...activities. Goodnight."

Anna giggled and hugged her back. "I'm sorry. Goodnight."

As the couples parted, Bumi couldn't seem to help himself. He turned back and said, "Take it easy tonight. You'll need your strength tomorrow."

Elsa gasped and hit his shoulder. "That's enough out of you. Now, it's been a long day and I'm tired, so let's go to bed."

**xxx**

The next morning, they saw the two off. Elsa had tried to ignore their rather...ruffled appearance at breakfast and instead quizzed them on their plans.

"Two weeks isn't too long, right? I don't want you to have the baby without me."

Elsa rolled her eyes. "You'll be fine, I have a few months left. Obviously you got no-never mind. Be safe, dress warmly. Kristoff, if anything happens to her, you answer to me. Got it? Yes? Okay." She kissed her forehead. "I love you. Be careful."

"I will, I promise." Then to her surprise, Anna knelt down and touched her stomach. "You take care of your Mama while I'm gone, alright? If she gets to working too hard, just, uh, kick her 'till she stops." She stood and kissed Elsa's cheek. "I love you."

After Anna hugged Bumi and Olaf goodbye and she hugged Kristoff, the two left. Elsa watched them leave with a nervous expression and bit her lip. Her hand rested on her stomach, where Anna had placed her hand. Bumi put his arm around her.

"They'll be okay." She nodded and turned to go back inside. He followed behind her. "Are you alright?"

She forced a smile and nodded. "Yes. Just a bit tired still, I suppose."

"Then you go rest. I'll go work on stuff." At the sign of her protest, he rolled his eyes. "Don't worry, I won't touch any of the important stuff." He kissed her cheek. "I'll see you at lunch."

While Olaf went to go find the goslings (he'd promised Anna he'd watch them), Elsa decided to go to the library to read, but any focus she had went out the window when she felt that familiar flutter. She put the book down and rested her hands on her stomach. She bit her lip and looked around to make sure no one was around. She cleared her throat and began to whisper softly. "Did you hear your Aunt Anna? She's really special and she already loves you a lot. So does your Papa." Her throat suddenly tightened, but she swallowed through it. "And I...I do, too. I'm sorry it took me so long to come around. It's just so strange. I never thought this would happen. I also thought I'd never get married, but I definitely never thought this would happen. I'm scared, I am. It's not your fault, I just...don't want to hurt you. And I don't want you to suffer like I did." It was oddly relieving, getting all of that off her chest. Even if the baby didn't respond. Except for another nudge. But to Elsa, it made it feel special. She stroked her thumb. "I can't promise I'll be perfect and good from here on out. But I'll try...I'll try."

She suddenly found herself exhausted and fell asleep with her arm protectively covering her bump. For the first time in a while, perhaps since she first realized she was pregnant, she didn't feel as guilty or worried. She felt more at peace. It was a welcome change.

Bumi found her like that a few hours later. He couldn't wipe the grin off his face at the sight. Even though she had never fully told him how she felt, he knew she was struggling. It had seemed like things had changed after the baby started to move, but now...she looked completely at peace, and he didn't not notice how her arm was positioned.

As if she could sense him there, she began to stir. He kneeled beside her and brushed her bangs back. She blinked at him drowsily. "Hey."

"Hey yourself," he said and stroked her cheek. "Did you have a good nap?"

She stretched and hummed. "How long was I out?"

"A few hours. Are you hungry? They should have lunch ready."

"Yes, I suppose." She moved to stand, but he pushed her back.

"No, I'll have Gerda bring it here. There's something I want to talk to you about."

She looked confused, but nodded. "Alright."

When he returned, he sat beside her. "So, you seem like you're feeling better. About the baby."

"What?"

"I know you've been struggling with this. It's okay," he cut in when he saw her about to apologize. "I know you wanted to keep it to yourself. But you seem a bit more at ease."

They paused when Gerda walked in. Elsa leaned into him and nibbled on a roll until Gerda left. "I am," she said after she was gone. "Feeling the baby move...I don't know, it made it feel more real, I guess. Wait, that doesn't make sense."

He grinned. "No, I get it." He cleared his throat. "Have you, uh, thought of any names?"

She shrugged. "Not really. Anna's come up with some, but I haven't put much thought into it. Why, have you?"

"Maybe a little. I'm not completely knowledgeable about Arendelle names, and since this kid's going to be the heir, I assumed you would want a family name or something."

That thought kind of made her head spin; she knew but hadn't completely processed the fact that this child would take her place someday. "Probably. That doesn't mean I'm counting out Water Tribe names or anything like that. If you want to, we can..."

He shook his head. "No, it's alright. We'll think of something."

"Okay. I guess if you want to start thinking of some, Anna will want to be involved when she gets back, so if you don't mind..."

"Not at all. I'm kind of surprised she hasn't produced a full list already."

Elsa rolled her eyes. "I wouldn't put it past her."

She got a laugh in response.


End file.
